many women are paying the price for hair extensions, which can cost up to $4000. A study published in the British Journal of Dermatology last year reported that extensions could lead to permanent baldness and that the problem might be more common than reported.

Hair experts have agreed, saying that extensions attached too close to the scalp or to too few strands of hair can put such tension on follicles in the scalp that they can become inflamed, causing hair to fall out - a condition known as traction alopecia.